Saturday, 23 October 2010

Crumpets

Sprinkle the yeast over the 5 teaspoons of lukewarm water in a smallbowl and stand for 2-3 mins. Then stir well to dissolve the yeast. Setthe bowl in a warm draught-free place with the sugar for a few minutesuntil the yeast bubbles up.Put the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl and make a well in thecentre. Pour in the yeast mixture and the milk and drop in the egg.Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon then add 1/2 oz butter untilsmooth batter is formed.Set aside in warm place for 1 hour until batter is doubled in size.Clarify remaining 2 oz butter in small pan. Do not let it brown. Skimoff the surface foam and spoon the clear butter into a bowl discardingthe milky solids at the bottm of the pan. Grease griddle or largeheavy frying pan and inside surfaces of crumpet rings with about halfthe clarified butter.Arrange rings on griddle and put on moderate heat. For each crumpetdrop about one tablespoon of batter into each ring. When it begins tobubble and the bottom becomes a light brown, remove the rings. Turnthe crumpet over and cook for a minute or two the other side. Witheach batch you must grease the griddle and rings again.